A Jungian Based Study for Diagnosing Acculturative Stress Within the Hispainc Immigrant and Refugee Population
Graduation Date
Spring 1996
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Degree Granting Institution
Notre Dame de Namur University
Program Name
Art Therapy
Abstract
The basis for this research was a supposition that Hispanic immigrants and refugees experience acculturative stress. The specific stressors causing acculturative stress in this population was unknown. Also unknown was whether or not acculturative stress affected self-esteem as reflected in visual constructs. An attempt to gain some initial insight into this issue was the motivation for this research.
Finding a non-verbal and visual form of obtaining pertinent information was necessary. The Arrington Visual Preference Test (AVPT) was designed to identify selected visual constructs based on the Jungian categories of female, male, self, and transformation archetypes. The questionnaire identifying acculturative stress issues was designed to aid in establishing the main concerns of the Hispanic immigrant and refugee. Sixty participants were assessed according to their visual preferences of the five most-liked visual constructs and the five least-liked visual constructs. The AVPT is divided into the four Jungian archetypal categories: feminine, masculine, self, and transformation. A complete discussion of the archetypes chosen are presented with examples. Examples of application of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory (RSE) the AVPT Test and the Acculturative Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) are also discussed. Directions for further investigations are indicated for future art therapists and other researchers.